'Military Report on S. W. Persia, Volume II, Arabistan' [‎9v] (23/96)

8
the Sagwand and the semf-independent Ban! Lam Arabs. It is a mat
ter for regret that the Shaikh has never been able to arrange to co
operate with the Bakhtiari and the Vail of Pusht-i-Kuh to put an
end to the depredations committed by a small section of the Sag
wand and the Ban! Lam. This is not entirely his fault, as when in
1907 he attempted to arrange something of the kind, the Dizfulis,
fearful of the vengeance of the Sagwand, gave them sanctuary with
in the city. This did not encourage the Shaikh to take further steps
in the matter. The Sagwand have now (1908) become more daring,
and several villages between the Karkheh and Dizful have per
force been abandoned.
There is little doubt that were the control of Luristan entrust
ed to the Vail of Pusht-i-Kuh he would successfully bring these
Sagwands under control, and the same result would no doubt accrue
from combined operations against them by the Shaikh and tbe^Vali :
the latter alternative is, in this part of Persia, beset by almost in
superable difficulties. In any case, the Shaikh has little at stake,
and would not move unless with the approval and financial assist
ance of the Persian Government.
Relations with the Government of Fdrs .—The E. boundary of
’Arabistan is conterminous with that of Pars, and the local Govern
ment of Behbehan, far removed from the central authority at Shi
raz, has for some years been under the influence of the Bakhtiari
Khans and the Shaikh, the Deputy Governor being appointed first
from one party, then from the other, or by mutual agreement : on
the whole, however, the Bakhtiari have the upper hand, the Shaikh’s
nominee not having been successful. It is enough here to say
that the wishes of the Shaikh of Muhammareh are generally a factor
to be considered in appointing a Deputy-Governor for Behbehan.
The ’Arab tribes living in the Lira vl district (a coastal region ex
tending from Hindi an toDilam) occasionally raid villages in ’Arab-
istan, giving rise to reprisals, but there is no danger to be feared
from this direction.
The Shaikh and his subjects.—At least 95 per cent, of the Shaikh's
subjects are Arabs, speaking Arabic as their mother tongue, and
very often unable to understand Persian. Distinct in language, race,
(iress, and customs from the “ ’Ajami ” or Persian-speaking Lurs,
they would not tolerate the rule of anyone not of their own
race. The Shaikh, in addition to being the acknowledged ruler
of the’Arabs of 'Arabistan, is also the head of a large and power
ful tribe, the Muhaisin, and as such gains additional weight and in-
nuence with his subjects at large* ~